Asunto(s)
Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/diagnóstico por imagen , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/cirugía , Implantación de Prótesis Vascular/métodos , Disección Aórtica/diagnóstico por imagen , Disección Aórtica/cirugía , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/complicaciones , Aneurisma de la Aorta Abdominal/diagnóstico , Arteriosclerosis/diagnóstico por imagen , Arteriosclerosis/cirugía , Humanos , Arteria Renal/diagnóstico por imagen , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of somatostatin receptor (SSTR) scintigraphy for the evaluation of disease activity in the upper and lower respiratory tract in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AASV). METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive patients with AASV were subjected to SSTR scintigraphy as part of their initial diagnostic evaluation and follow-up. The presence of SSTRs in inflammatory lesions was evaluated with immunohistochemistry in selected cases. RESULTS: In AASV, specificity of SSTR scintigraphy for active vs non-active disease was 96% for pulmonary disease and 100% for ear, nose and throat (ENT) involvement, while sensitivity was 86% and 68%, respectively. Absence of previously present tracer accumulation characterized treatment responders, and treatment resistance was reflected by repeated positive scintigraphy. We could demonstrate the expression of SSTRs in lung and mucosal biopsies obtained from patients with active Wegener's granulomatosis and with microscopic polyangiitis. CONCLUSION: SSTR scintigraphy is useful for the assessment of AASV, indicating disease activity, disease extent and treatment efficacy. SSTRs are expressed in both granulomatous as well as non-granulomatous AASV.